


Mortal & The Beast

by Anonymous



Category: ENHYPEN (Band), 엔하이픈| Enhypen
Genre: Gen, Happy Halloween, I think if I don't mention Shim Jaeyun at least once per fic I might spontaneously combust, Pls someone take my phone away, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-01
Updated: 2020-11-01
Packaged: 2021-03-09 05:02:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,522
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27318943
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: A halloween tale born out of insomnia.
Relationships: It's a lil' complicated. Read.
Comments: 4
Kudos: 18
Collections: Anonymous





	Mortal & The Beast

**Author's Note:**

> Fair warning: Nothing ahead will make sense. 
> 
> I would like to gift this to strangers who make each other's day a little brighter with a couple of words/kudos here and there.
> 
> Compliment people's outfit, smile at strangers, positivity is free and much needed in 2020. If you ever do that and the person you made happier cry, there are good odds it might be me.

There's a mortal in his castle. And not any mortal. A mortal that hums along as they pluck on his precious roses, slowly gathering them in a bouquet. The beast is not angry. He is past any sort of resentment for penetrating his private property. Much past it. No mortal has willingly stumbled past the wall of thorns and vines in so long that he's frankly desperate. And hungry. It's been so long since he's tasted mortal blood. It should warm his cheeks a little, relieve some of that ache in his frozen heart.

Oh, he doesn't mind having a frozen heart too much. But the witch made sure it would hurt. Everyday that passed without using said heart, would make it colder, heavier in the chest that had to carry it. He wasn't a vampire. But blood, pulsing, warm blood, made him warmer for a bit, until his body entirely eliminated the amber liquid that wasn't his own. A human should last him longer than a hare. Especially if he rationed it.

Now, he should be remorseful perhaps, as he observes that frail human turn beautiful living things into a pretty lifeless gift. He is not. Humans were the reason he'd grown to be who he was. Humans tended to destroy without care, kill without remorse. He knew well. He had been one, once a long time ago. He prefers to be a cold hearted beast.

All draped in black, he marches on the thick layer of snow that leads the path to his private garden. He has a torch, and enough beauty to lead many astray. He knows.

"I can hear you." The mortal says, without sparing him a glance. The beast stills, holding his torch forward. He doesn't ask how. He doesn't have the time. Because the ephemeral creature goes on: "I knew such a pretty garden couldn't be abandoned."

"Yet, you decided to pluck some of my most beautiful roses." The beast replies, low but amused. Alluring, controlled.

It doesn't even obtain him a glance. "It's for my father." The mortal replies, then sighs softly. "He used to love roses."

"So do I. That is why I grow them in my garden." The beast replies, unimpressed. But curious. Curious as to why his voice doesn't have his interlocutor entranced yet.

"Roses don't bloom in winter anywhere else in the realm." As if that was any explanation for thievery. "Those winter roses, are the only ones that naturally grow and bloom in winter." Finally, he turns, the mortal. And he looks offended. Like he has any leg to stand on here. "Do you think I would have willing marched through thorns and vines for the sheer envy of stealing some flowers? This isn't about your roses, which aren't really roses by the way. It's about," His brows creases as he lowers his head. "It's about," A difficult swallow. "It's about saying goodbye." He says, eventually, before pressing his lips together as he looks up and into the beast's eyes for the first time.

"Your father used, to love roses." The beast recalls, prior words gaining a new meaning. And finally, the mortal is entranced. He can tell by the way wide eyes with blown out pupils now observe him. He can tell by the slight parting of lips that hid a terribly bold tongue. He can tell by the smell of blood hitting harder now that it's filling cheeks to the point where it's noticeable. It's a little disappointing. Just about when the prey was about to become interesting enough to consider letting leave alive. "I'm sorry for your loss." The beautiful beast says, growing closer and holding a hand to take. Of course, mesmerized still, the poor mortal trusts, letting himself be caught and led back to his feet. "Do you want to get inside for a little while? You seem a bit cold."

"No." Oh, that's new. "I have to go very soon." The mortal explains, withdrawing his hand and turning back towards the wall of thorns he carved his way through. "The horse is waiting. And I must return to bring the flowers. He has to have the flowers when he departs." Spoken in sweet euphemisms is a heavy truth. That little mortal has funerals to attend. He doesn't know that nobody will make it to his own.

"Those Hellebores are still mine." The beast points out, looking at the peculiar young man through a fringe of dark hair.

"If I had money, do you doubt I would have them imported?" The mortal replies, a little frustrated now. "How do I earn them then? Quickly."

"Quickly, huh?" The beast asks, lips curling up to reveal elongated fangs.

The mortal laughs. "Oh." He says softly, like he's come to a realization of his own. His eyes fall shut. "Does it hurt?"

What a blunt question. The beast doesn't really know how to answer. He's never really cared about such practicalities before. Most victims screamed before he bit. He doubted it was intended to be particularly pleasant but they did seem to calm down once he fangs pierced the skin for a bit. "Perhaps." He chose to reply.

The mortal merely sighed before rolling up a sleeve. "If you have any care at all for me, would you mind doing it somewhere it cannot be seen?" He inquires, holding out his arm. "I am not stupid. My neck is off limit and I will not take off any garment in the heart of winter. I do not wish to die of pneumonia in an attempt to honour the deads. Or feed them."

The beast's brow crease. "I am not dead."

"Are you not?" The mortal asks, curious. "Then how old are you? Surely for the thorns to grow that tall and thick would take centuries. How could you live through them and look like you do."

The beast chuckles. "I am frozen in time. My heart, is frozen since I lost the sole human that ever gave meaning to my life. I still exist, but I don't live. Not without him." He explains, because nobody else has asked before. Because it feels good to remember that he loved once. Entirely. Jaeyun probably disapproved of his current lifestyle. But if he couldn't join his lover in the afterlife in the end, there was no reason to try enjoying a mortal existence without him. Damned be that witch. They'd eventually meet in the underworld to settle old scores. That was the sole solace in knowing heaven was beyond him. Revenge.

"I'm sorry." It comes so quietly that it makes the beast chuckle. What are they sorry for? Why is the prey apologizing to a predator? "If it makes you feel any better, you can have my neck? Though you're not a vampire so will it change much where you bite?"

The beast chuckles, looming closer and slowly moving in circles around the young man. "You apologize for sins that aren't yours to carry." He says, eventually. "You apologize for a curse I might have brought on myself." He continues, stilling behind the mortal, searching for fear. The heartbeat doesn't pick up. He grows closer. "Vampires don't puncture the neck because they are vampires." He explains. "They do it because that's where the vein that goes from the heart straight to the brain is." He explains, his thumb tracing alongside his prey's neck. "They do it because that's where blood travels the fastest, travels the most. It's abundant and rich and so easy to spot. It's entirely a matter of practicalities." He takes a step back, clasping his hands behind him in parade rest. "Do you still want me to bite there?"

"I would rather you didn't." Comes out a little raspy. "I don't think I could hold my aunt's gaze if she saw marks on my neck. It would either grow excruciatingly embarrassing if I had to feign an accidental encounter with a rodent or excruciatingly boring if she had me exorcised for being in the vicinity of a supernatural creature."

The beasts laughs, and for a second it's a little warm in his chest. "I shouldn't be laughing." He reminds himself, shaking his head.

The mortal turns to face him. "Time is running sir. And though I do not want to urge you to drain my blood, well I do have pressing matters to return to, So if you will," He holds his arm out. "Preferably not too close to the elbow nor the wrist. Thank you."

The beast blinks. "It would leave you too weak to make your way through the thorn wall again." He says, looking down at the offered arm. Now he doesn't want to bite anymore, and he doesn't know why.

"Ah. Then let us delay the payment." The mortal says, rolling back his sleeve down. "I'll return after the funeral, would that work?"

The beast chuckles. "Of course. Go right ahead."

"Really?" The mortal inquires. And the beast merely nods. He's feeling merciful. He'll let this one go. He won't kill him today.

Clearly, it had been too long since he had a conversation. Because he'd found that curious exchange entertaining. Ah, well, if they are smart, the mortal will never return. And it will all be soon forgotten.

Xx

_The mortal does return._

_The absolute fool._

And the beast can actually find it in himself to be angry now, as he marches towards the garden where the other awaits for him, humming softly as they peer around. "Why are you here?" He snarls.

The idiot swallows, taken aback by the newfound hostility, scared even, probably. "Were you not awaiting for me? Do you receive that much company that I am currently disturbing?" Oh that tongue remains fierce.

"I let you out the trap." The beast replies. "Why would you willingly walk back in?"

"I gave my words." The human replied. "That's really all I have to give to others, you know. So when I give my words, I make good on them. That's how they keep their value." Oh. That's. That's an unexpected development. "Go ahead, bite where you must, not vampire sir." He says and squeezes his eyes shut, ready to just surrender.

"You give yourself away far too readily, mortal." The beast replies. "Do you have a death wish?"

That has him reopening his eyes. "Would you kill me?" He asks, genuinely taken aback. "Oh I thought you'd only take some. And then I'd have some time to replenish." His brows crease. "That's very duplicitous of you. How would I have made it back if you'd bitten me back then? That trade was an absolute steal!"

The beast laughs at the indignation. "I'm sorry, did you expect me to be a good person?"

"Well, you'd shared something personal with me. And I shared something personal with you. I foolishly believed that made us two people who saw each other as people." The mortal replied. "But you don't think you're a man anymore do you?"

"I'm a beast." Is the reply offered. "I was one before I was a man. Then I lost the one person who had turned me human and I am back to being a beast."

"Ah. Practical. Go ahead, blame the dead lover for your misbehavior. It's not my fault I'm killing people, it's because the person who used to stop me from doing that is gone." The beast snarl at the words, baring threatening teeth. "Oh you're planning to kill me anyway, I might as well lay one on you before I go: You are the only person responsible for your actions. Whatever motivated you to be good came from you. Whatever motivates you to be bad, comes from you too. And I am glad you had someone who saw the good in you when you couldn't once. But now you know you are capable of being good, you're just making the choice not to be. Let the dead rest, sir. And take responsibility." Within seconds fangs sink in his neck, and the mortal passes out.

Xx

It's quiet and warm. He's under a heavy blanket and flames dance in a large chimney fire. So this is heaven? An impressive house where he can rest? Footsteps are heard. God? An angel? His mother?

_Nope._

Just a mean man with no manner. He pushes the blanket away and sits up. "Why?" The mortal asks right away.

"I couldn't kill you out there." The beast replies. The garden was a sacred place. Jaeyun loved it the most. That's why he kept the flowers so alive and beautiful. Memories lived easier in a environment that wasn't dead.

"Are you planning to do it somewhere else or am I free to go?" The mortal asks.

"Would you return?" The beast wonders back.

"What?" Confusion etches itself on the human's features.

"Would you, perhaps, consider returning?" The beast repeats, holding out a pouch. "My words are probably not worth much to you. But I think my money should be." He says. "I have plenty more where it comes from and no use for it. You may take as much as you can carry each time you return."

"I am not for sale." The mortal replies, offended.

"I don't want to buy you, just your time." The beast tries to explain. "I want to be a little less frozen."

The mortal chuckles, it's not mocking but it's amused. Fond in the way you are upon witnessing a child's mistake. "I am not the new solution to your personal dilemmas. I don't want to carry your humanity atop of mine. We're strangers."

"Are we?" The beast asks. "You shared something personal with me. And I shared something personal with you. I foolishly believed that made us two people who saw each other as people."

The mortal bites the left corner of his bottom lip. "I'll consider returning, but no promises." He says, eventually.

The beast nods. "Can I ask for your name?"

"Why?"

"In case I ever venture outside those walls and decide I need a guide to the world of the livings." The beast replies.

The mortal's lips faintly curl up. "I don't have a name. My father found me when I was barely a babe a little after his wife passed. He thought I was the perfect recipient to pour all that love in. But he couldn't find me the perfect name, so for a while he only called me tiny kid. His daughter, my sister, she was still fairly young back then, she couldn't pronounce all the sounds and used to call me 'ani-kit'. The tiny kid, eventually became Ni-Ki."

The beast nodded. "Nice to meet you, Ni-Ki. I'm..." He swallowed. It had been so long since he'd said his own name. Had he forgotten it? Blinking rapidly, he tried to recall Jaeyun ever calling him. He always came up with nicknames. His favorite being the one he used every time he did a good deed. _My haloed saint. 내 성 훈._ "I'm... Sung Hoon." The irony didn't get lost on his interlocutor. It'd make for an interesting conversation topic later.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm so sorry for the overproduction of content. I'm not trying to flood or make it a thing. I just write when I'm stressed because it helps me. So there will be times of absolute floods and other of complete drought because I have no agenda or organisation. 미안 🙃


End file.
